Crossrail sparks vote for New Year strike

Grant Prior 7 years ago
Share

Electricians employed by Balfour Beatty on the Woolwich section of Crossrail have voted to take strike action early next year.

The Woolwich site has seen a series of worker protests in recent weeks
The Woolwich site has seen a series of worker protests in recent weeks

A ballot was held among the 80 workers by the Unite union following a  row over bonus payments.

The electricians are demanding finishing bonuses of up to £5,000.

Balfour responded by revealing plans to make the majority of them redundant as the project winds down.

Unite said: “The workers recorded an 85 per cent yes vote in favour of strike action in the dispute which concerns the payment of an improved second tier payment and a four week finishing bonus, payable when the workers are informed they are to be made redundant.”

An initial 24 hour strike has been called for Wednesday 10 January with further action planned.

Unite added: “A finishing bonus is standard practice on this type project. It allows the workers to give notice on their lodging, without suffering financial loss.

“The entire workforce on the Woolwich project is based outside London and therefore has had to organise additional accommodation during the duration of the project.”

Balfour Beatty said: “Earlier this year Balfour Beatty engaged with Unite and negotiated and agreed a productivity bonus for Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick’s workforce of electricians on Crossrail.

“Since then, Unite demanded a significant increase in the bonus level and a completion bonus.

“We note the workforce has voted in favour of strike action. We will continue to engage with our workforce.”

Unite regional officer Guy Langston, said: “We have repeatedly tried to resolve this issue through negotiation but Balfour Beatty has refused to take the workforce’s concerns seriously.

“We have had no option but to take strike action, this will undoubtedly cause disruption and could potentially delay the entire project.

“It is imperative that Balfour Beatty recognises the damage strike action will have to the Crossrail project and return to the negotiating table to resolve this issue.

“This ballot is a line in the sand and Unite will back its members to the hilt if further industrial issues develop during the final period of the project Crossrail.”

Latest news

Comment: Gateway is acting like a barricade

Contractors left banging their heads on an (unbuilt) brick wall
4 hours ago

Final phase of £1.5bn Elephant and Castle revamp hits planning

Get Living submits revised plan for 500 homes and 450-bed student block
1 day ago

Ealing backs final phase of £1.3bn estate rebuild

Friary Park estate rebuild in Acton reaches end stage
4 hours ago

Green light for scaled-down Nottingham student tower

Glasshouse Street scheme will deliver 247 student rooms
4 hours ago

Aston Villa to revamp North Stand

Club to reuse existing structure rather than complete rebuild
24 hours ago

Mace signs ex-ISG director to lead Euro health and tech push

Gary Sweeney to head up healthcare and life sciences consultancy arm
3 hours ago

Sir Robert McAlpine claws way back into profit

Firm says return to profit and strong cash balance validates new strategy
1 day ago

Severfield to cut staff by 6% amid pricing pressure

Steelwork contractor warns of extended tighter pricing due to project delays
1 day ago

JRL completes sale of 50% stake to Malaysian giant IJM

Deal boosts balance sheet and kicks starts growth plan
1 day ago

Green light for £100m Liverpool Baltic station build

Enabling highway works to start in the autumn
2 days ago

First live tests for flying construction robots

Drones can lay construction materials at height on site
1 day ago

Three firms land £170m Gentoo Sunderland housing deal

PHS Solutions, Esh and RE:GEN to deliver 10-year home upgrade plan
2 days ago

Gateway gridlock hits build-to-rent delivery as starts nosedive

Build to rent starts plunge 18% in the capital
2 days ago

Call to shift Gateway 2 checks to end building bottleneck

"The current system isn't working but we all want to see safe buildings"
2 days ago

GBN launches £600m bid race for SMR engineer roles

Owner engineers to provide technical and assurance services
2 days ago

Wates hires ex-Homes England chief to head public sector push

Robert Stone to spearhead its public sector and national frameworks strategy
2 days ago

Acheson Construction collapse costs suppliers £8.5m

One frustrated creditor seized a telehandler after contractor went into administration
3 days ago

Dominus wins go-ahead for 173-bed Glasgow scheme

Old Wynd Street job expected to cost around £25m to build
3 days ago

Safety Regulator misses deadline to clear Gateway 2 backlog

Investors pulling out of funding high rise buildings
3 days ago

CITB still sitting on £95m cash pile

Staff numbers jump from 666 to 763 as training body wage bill soars
3 days ago

£500m road surfacing framework market call

NEPO goes out to consultation on north east regional highways deal
3 days ago

Two share £220m Scottish rail repairs and minor works deal

AmcoGiffen and CPMS win civils and building repair deals
3 days ago

Builder wanted for £60m London leisure and flats job

Tower Hamlets aims to replace St George’s Leisure Centre in Shadwell
3 days ago

Contractor confirmed for business park expansion

Roe Developments to start on next phase of Castle Donington scheme
3 days ago

Driver escapes injury as scaffold collapses onto van

Major three-lift scaffold fall blocks north London high street
1 week ago

Gilbert Ash to be sold to staff

£267m turnover contractor to transition to an Employee Ownership Trust
1 week ago

M Group seals biggest-ever deal with Telent takeover

Digital infrastructure specialist deal lifts turnover to £3bn
1 week ago

Aggregates firm Ashville went down owing more than £3m

Debts revealed in Companies House update
1 week ago

Cardo saves 100 jobs at Breyer roofing arm

Private equity-backed Welsh maintenance group continues to expand
1 week ago

Excavator knocked off lorry going under bridge

Traffic Commissioner inquiry after accident in south London
1 week ago

Contractor services